Ricinus communis
( RISS - in - uss kom - YOO - niss )
At-A-Glance InformationCommonly known as Castor Bean, this evergreen shrub (generally grown as an annual) needs full sun and little to moderate water to perform well. Take care when planting this species un your yard, as the seeds are extremelu poisonous if ingested and can cause skin irritation if touched. Ensure that children and pets have no access to this plant. This plant is known for its bold foliage and originates in Africa and Asia. It quickly reaches 6-15 feet tall and wide in a single growing season, and becomes woody and tree-like in mild-winter areas. In other places, it dies back to the ground in cool weather. Flowers are inconspicuous and white, and bloom on stalks in clusters in summertime, followed by prickly seed pods. There are varieties available with foliage in red, pink, and purple. Choice selection 'Zanzibarensis' has larger green leaves than the species. Castor Bean grows well in all zones as an annual (to find your zone, click here: Zone Map).
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Caring for and pruning Ricinus communis shrubs
Warning: These shrubs are highly toxic, and can cause skin irritation if touched. Take care to keep all parts of this plant away from pets and children, and wear protective gear when pruning and handling seeds and foliage.
Plant your shrub in full sun (at least 6-8 hours of sun per day). These shrubs need well-draining soil, and are not picky about soil type but do enjoy a good amount of organic matter. Provide regular moisture, keeping soil consistently moist but not waterlogged. Apply mulch around the base of the plant, taking care to not touch the stem of the plant. Feed with a balanced, all-purpose liquid fertilizer every 4-6 weeks during the growing season (spring through summertime). Prune to maintain shape and encourage a bushy growth; when left to their own devices, these shrubs can grow to be quite tall and leggy. Provide protection from frost conditions; rhizomes can be dug up and stored indoors over winter months.
Plant your shrub in full sun (at least 6-8 hours of sun per day). These shrubs need well-draining soil, and are not picky about soil type but do enjoy a good amount of organic matter. Provide regular moisture, keeping soil consistently moist but not waterlogged. Apply mulch around the base of the plant, taking care to not touch the stem of the plant. Feed with a balanced, all-purpose liquid fertilizer every 4-6 weeks during the growing season (spring through summertime). Prune to maintain shape and encourage a bushy growth; when left to their own devices, these shrubs can grow to be quite tall and leggy. Provide protection from frost conditions; rhizomes can be dug up and stored indoors over winter months.
Propagation
Warning: These shrubs are highly toxic, and can cause skin irritation if touched. Take care to keep all parts of this plant away from pets and children, and wear protective gear when pruning and handling seeds and foliage.
Ricinus communis can be propagated either by using cuttings or from seed. To ensure that your propagated plant will have the exact same qualities and characteristics as the parent plant, use the cutting method. If you would like to experiment and see what plant you can grow from seed, just keep in mind that it will not necessarily be the same as the parent plant. To propagate your shrub, follow the instructions below:
Propagating Ricinus communis by Cutting
Propagating Ricinus communis by Seed
Ricinus communis can be propagated either by using cuttings or from seed. To ensure that your propagated plant will have the exact same qualities and characteristics as the parent plant, use the cutting method. If you would like to experiment and see what plant you can grow from seed, just keep in mind that it will not necessarily be the same as the parent plant. To propagate your shrub, follow the instructions below:
Propagating Ricinus communis by Cutting
- Gather your materials. You'll need protective gear, a clean, sanitized, sharp pair of garden shears, rooting hormone, a pencil, and a 3-inch pot filled with well-draining compost or other organic material. If you don't have any potting medium on hand, you can make some. Just mix together equal parts (by volume) moss peat and horticultural-grade sand or grit sand.
- In spring or early summertime, choose the plant that you'd like to propagate. Ensure that this plant has had a good watering the night before, as this will improve the chances your cutting will take root. Cut one or more 6 inch portion(s) of the end of a non-blooming branch and strip the leaves off of the lower half. Make a hole in your planting medium by pushing your pencil into the soil. Dip the end of the stem in rooting hormone, and plant it in your pot. Fill in soil around the cutting to support it, but do not pack it down too much.
- Moisten with water, and ensure that the pot has good drainage. Your pot should be kept in warm, sunny conditions indoors (and not in direct sunlight). Water whenever your soil is dry under the top layer. After about four to six weeks have passed, your cutting should be rooted. When you notice new growth, you'll know you have roots.
- Keep your new plant in an area with bright light (though not direct sunlight) and temperatures between 55 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Ensure that the soil stays moist, but not wet, until the next spring, when you can transplant it to its new home. Ensure that the last frost of the year has occurred before doing this, as it can seriously damage your new shrub.
Propagating Ricinus communis by Seed
- Keep in mind that the plant you get from seed will not necessarily mimic all of the characteristics of the parent plant. To propagate by seed, you will need protective gear, a paper bag, a pot or tray filled with well-draining compost or other organic material, a spray bottle and a fork. If you don't have any potting medium on hand, you can make some. Just mix together equal parts (by volume) moss peat and horticultural-grade sand or grit sand. You will also, after a few weeks, need individual 3-inch pots for each seedling that grows.
- Harvest your seeds. The seed pods contain the seeds, and are left behind after flowers have faded. Remove them from the shrub or tree, and place them in a paper bag. Once you've collected all of your seeds, you'll need to scarify them by rubbing them against an abrasive surface or nicking them with a knife. Place your seeds in cold water, and leave them there overnight. In the morning, lay them out to dry.
- Water your prepared seed tray or pot filled with soil, and ensure that good drainage is occurring. Place your seeds in your prepared pot or seed tray about a quarter inch to a half-inch under the soil surface. Cover them with soil and water with your spray bottle. Place your tray of seeds in a warm area that receives bright, indirect light. A greenhouse is the most ideal climate, but a planting tray inside a window will do as well. Germination usually takes 7-14 days from sowing. Once you begin to see seedlings sprout and they are able to be handled, transplant them to their own individual 3-inch pots, filled with the same potting medium as described in Step 1. Loosen the seedlings from the potting medium by digging down with the tines of your fork about an inch and a half, gently working the seedling up until it is out. Then, replant the seedling in its individual pot.
- Keep the seedling's potting medium moist, but not wet, by spraying the soil with your spray bottle. Keep your new plant in an area with bright light (though not direct sunlight) and temperatures between 55 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Ensure that the soil stays moist, but not wet, until the next spring (after the danger of frost has passed), when you can transplant it to its new home.
Problems and Pests
Castor Bean shrubs are susceptible to the following issues, but they are known to be generally hardy, disease-resistant shrubs.
- Aphids
- Caterpillars
- Spider Mites
Gallery
Videos
How to grow these shrubs successfully.
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How to identify Ricinus communis shrubs.
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All about these interesting shrubs.
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Learn about these shrubs, including their toxic qualities.
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Resources
The New Sunset Western Garden Book: The Ultimate Gardening Guide (2012) - Page 566, Ricinus communis (Castor Bean)
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